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Table 3 A joint presentation of a mixed methods results—key statistically significant quantitative findings and relevant illustrative/explanatory qualitative results

From: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on illicit drug supply, drug-related behaviour of people who use drugs and provision of drug related services in Georgia: results of a mixed methods prospective cohort study

Quantitative findings (statistically significant trends)

Explanatory/illustrative qualitative results

Reduction in use of cannabis, alcohol, amphetamine, medicinal methadone, medicinal buprenorphine, Ketamine, LSD, myorelaxants

Difficulties in obtaining preferred substances, lack of mediating environment (night clubs, festivals), overall “depressive” context of the pandemic

Fewer different substances used

 

Perceived access to the main drug became harder at the initial stage of the lockdown and returned to “normal” towards the end of the monitoring period

Affected contacts with dealers, lack of transportation and restrictions for movements (curfew)

Perceived increase in prices at the beginning of the lockdown and stabilization of prices (or return to initial figures) following the removal of restrictions

Distortion of conventional supply chains, middleman “fee”, heavy adulteration

Injection-related risky practices increased during the initial phase of the lockdown. As access to sterile apparatus improved, PWID returned to safer injection behaviours

Lack of access to sterile injection equipment, new practice of supply in preloaded syringe

Access to harm reduction services was strongly affected during the initial phase of the lockdown and improved later as providers adopted flexible approaches and models of service provision

Closure of provider organizations followed by the adoption of innovative service delivery models